Feeding and emptying device for reservoirs



Sept. 11, 1934. J. B. BERGER FEEDING AND EMPTYING DEVICE FOR RESERVOIR 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1931 p 1934- J. L. B. BERGER 1,973,325

FEEDING AND EMPTYING DEVICE FOR RESERVOIRS Filed May 29, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 5 6. Began v nions.

Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES A T E 1'- OFFICE FEEDING ANDEMPTYING DEVICE F RESERVOIRS France Application May 29, 1931, Serial No.541,085

In France June 5, 1930 i 2 Claims. (Cl. 137- 78) In apparatuses actuallyemployed for emptying reservoirs containing liquids, a pump is generallylocated in a suitable place outside the reservoir and provided with asuction pipe submerged into a reservoir or connected with the bottomthereof. Such apparatuses present, generally a number ofdrawbacks.

When the liquid in the reservoir is viscous, for instance fuel oilcontained in storage reservoirs or tank-boats, the flow of said liquidthrough the suction pipe is obtained with very high losses of charge,thus very slowly, and the pump is far from working at its normal'output.If the matter is to exhaust a very slimy liquid, means are to beprovided for heating the liquid in order to increase the fluiditythereof. 1 When the liquid is volatile, for instance petroleum orgasoline, and when the height of exhaustion is important, with,consequently, low 20 pressure within the suction pipe, noticeable lossesof liquid through evaporation occur. It has been noted that, whendischarging tank-boats containing gasoline, the loss throughevaporation, 25 variable according to the seasons, is comprised between2 and per cent of the treated liquid.

The present invention has for its object to provide an apparatus whichdoes not present the above said drawbacks and which is in some waysimilar to the submerged pumps employed in water-wells. i e Theemployment of such pumps for reservoirs containing viscous or volatileliquids shows peculiar advantages, since it avoids the drawbackshereinbefore pointed out. -Moreover, it isnecessary to modify said pumpsfor the purpose of using them in connection with tank-boats, orreservoirs for fueloil, gasoline and the like.

The invention is characterized firstly by the fact that the apparatusfor feeding and emptying comprises a pump, which constitutes, with itsmotor, a movable unit so arranged that the pump may be submerged in thereservoir at any desired depth.

In one form of the invention, a pipe is pivotally mounted on a lorry,said pipe having the pump on one end and on the other end the motorthereof, for instance an electric or fluid motor. The forcing of theexhausted liquid is made preferably through a tube provided through oneof the trun- In the case of a fluid motor, water inlet and outlet ismade through tubes provided through the other trunnion.

In another form of execution,the fluid motor is mounted on the pump andthe two parts may be submerged as a unit at any desired depth as theemptying of the reservoir-progresses, These pumping apparatuses areprovided with a by-pass valve which may be employed also for feeding thereservoir, said device being constituted pref erably by atwo-compartment casing provided with valves to automatically reverse theflow,

By way of example, different forms of execution have been hereinafterdescribed with reference to the annexed drawings: i

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical elevation,

1 Figure 2 is a plan view, a 1

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the axis of the trunnions, thetube being upright,

Figure 4' represents diagrammatically a second' form ofexecutionprovided with a fluid motor, i 1

Figure 5 represents a third embodiment, in which the motor and pump unitis carried by the Figure 6 shows another form of execution in which thepipes arearticulated, the motor and pump unit hanging by a float, i

Figure 7 represents an automatically. actuated reversing device for theflow of treated liquid.

The apparatus represented on Figures 1 to 3 comprises an oscillatingbarrel or tube 1, pivotally supportedby trunnions 2 on bearings 3carried'by the lorry 4, which may roll on rails '5 mounted on the edgeof the-reservoir 6, said rails projecting toward the'inside of thereservoir so as to overhang it, Within the barrel, are located,at" oneend, a pump '7, and, at the other end, a motor 8,-counterbalancing andactuating said pump 7 by meansof a shaft 10. Themetion part of the pump7 opens directly in the liquid; the discharge device is connected withthe inside of the barrel 1, and is connected with the discharge pipe 9through the hollowtrunnion 2. The barrel is counterbalanced in order tooscillate easily around the axis" of the bearing 3, and it is inclinedso that the pump remains normally under the level of the liquid.

- When operating, the pump is immersed and forces the liquid, throughthe barrel 1 and'the trunnion 2, to the discharge pipe 9. The pumpbeingconstantly' submerged, is fed under the best'possible conditions;furtheiyjas it'may be more'or less inclined, it may exhaust the liquidat diiferent heights in the vertical plane wherein it'rotates, from thevertical positionl to the nearly horizontal position 1-. Theoutput: maybe adjusted through the valve 15 enabling to lead back to the reservoira certain amount of the pumped liquid. The feeding-of the reservoir 6 ismade by forcing the liquid, coming from a tank-boat for instance,through the pipe9, the

hollow trunnion 2 and the pipe 12. The inclination of, thecounterbalanced barrel is controlled through a screw-wheel 16 engagingan endless screw 16'.

When it is founddesirable to inspect or repair the barrel 1, the latteris brought to its horizon-tal position, the joints are disengaged fromthe pipes 9 and 12 and the lorry is moved backwards (to the right handside of Figure 1).

The same apparatus, of smaller size in order to be portable, may be ofadvantage when the matter is to empty vessels or casks containingviscous materials such as molasses, oils and the like.

In the apparatus shown in Figure 4, a hydraulic motor is used in lieuof. an electromotor. The said motor is supplied with fluid through thepipe 27 disposed in the axis of the truninon 28, the fluid being ledfrom the pipe 29 disposed in the same trunnion coaxially around the pipe2'7, such arrangement permitting the barrel to be inclined withoutemploying a flexible pipe.

In the apparatusrepresented in Figure 5, the device includes the pump 50and the hydraulic motor 56' supported by the discharge pipe 51 of thepump, and the supply and exhaust pipes '52 and 53 of the hydraulicmotor. 7

These pipes, 51, 52 and 53 are supported by a U-shaped support 54 sealedinto the walls 56, projecting through the reservoir opening 57; saidpipes are fixed in a ring 58 mounted on a supporting plate 59 which isbolted on the support 54; The pipes 52 and 53 are connected to a pumpfeeding the hydraulic motor, through crank tubes 63 and 64 and resilientjoints not shown. In order to adjust the depth of the pump into theliquid of the reservoir, the pipes 51, 52 and 53 comprise severalelements joined by means of flange-joints 65, 66 and 6'7. Each elementis braced by means of rings 69 similar to ring 58, and each of which islocated just under a set of flange-joints 65, 66 and 67.

K The apparatus may be raised as a unit by a crane 70 or by othersuitable means. During the raising, the supporting plate 59 is moved inorder to permit the rings to pass freely. This operation having beenperformed, and the ring 69 laying on the supporting plate 59, it is onlythennecessary to withdraw the elements of upright pipes 51, 52 and 53which are over the supporting plate 59, and to connect directly thecranks 60-68 and 64 to the remaining elements.

In the form of Figure 6, the pipes of the pump and motor unit 81 arearticulated, at their upper part, in 82, near the edge of the reservoir.81 is suspended in the liquid by a float 83. 'Anyone of the hereinabovedescribed apparatuses may be employed to empty a tank-boat. It issufficient for that purpose to fasten it by any suitable means to thecable of a pivoting crane mounted on the pier. In that case, severalbarrels may be used at the same time, so as to simultaneously emptyseveral compartments so that'the boat will retain its equilibrium.Furthermore, owing to the apparatus described, the pipes and valvesusually provided on the tankboats, tank-carriages or the like, are nolonger necessary.

The automatically actuated reversing device for the liquid flow, shownin Figure 7, may be mounted on the discharge pipe of a reservoiremptying pump, in 'order to fill or empty at will the said reservoir.

The apparatus comprises two adjacent compartments connected through acheck-valve opening in the direction of the emptying flow; the secondcompartment communicates through a valve with a tube leading back to thereservoir.

The reservoir 6 contains the liquid, for instance fuel-oil. Emptying ismade, by, means of the motor and pump unit 81 submerged in the liquid,through the discharge pipe 86, on which is mounted the reversingmechanism 85, as shown on the figure. The said reversing mechanism isdivided into two compartments 86 and 8'! connected together through acheck-valve 88. The chamber 87 is connected to the return-pipe 89,through a passage 90 provided with a safety valve 91. Directcommunication between the chamber 87 and the pipe 89 is barred by thewall 92 on which bears, when it is closed, the valve 93, and may berestored automatically or at will by said checkvalve 93 being open. Afilter 94 is located within the chamber 87 on the line of the liquidflow.

When the apparatus is operated to empty the reservoir, the liquid,forced by the pump 81 in the direction indicated by the arrow unseatsthe check-valve 88 and passes through the filter in the discharge pipe84. If, for any reason, it is desired to shut a valve 95 on thedischarge. pipe, the liquid returns automatically to the reservoirthrough the valve 91 without being able to liftthe valve 93, thepressure being the same above and below and exerted above on a widersurface.

When the tank 6 is filled with liquid under pressure coming through thepipe 84, the valve 88 remains closed and the valve 93 opens becausethere is no pressure in the chamber 86 and the liquid of the chamber 8'7flows into'the discharge pipe 89 above the wall 92. At the same time, a1

small portion of the liquid flows through the pipe 84 and enters thetank 6 while causing the reversible pump 81 to turn. The by-pass 90 onlyoperates if the flow through the pump 81 is stopped and the pressureincreases in the pipe 84 until the lifting of the valve 93 is preventedby the pressure of the chamber 86.

It should further be remarked that the pressure above the valve 93 actsupon a surface which is greater than the surface under the valve 93, so

1. A device for emptying and filling tanks such as tanks for the storageof hydrocarbons, comprising a delivery pump and its motor located at thebottom of the tank, a casing divided into three chambers located outsidethe tank, a dis-1 charge pipe leading from the pump to the first chamberof the casing, a pipe-line starting from the second chamber of thecasing, a filling-pipe leading from the third chamber of the casing tothe top opening of the tank, in the said casing means for connectingautomatically the first chamber, i. e. the delivery pipe chamber withthe second chamber, i. e. the pipe line chamber, said means beingcontrolled-by a pressure in the said first chamber, means forautomatically providing its connection between the second chamber, 1. e.the pipe line chamber and the third chamber, 1. e. the filling pipechamber, said means being controlled by a pressure in the secondchamber, and a safety by-pass for the said connection between the secondchamber and the third chamber.

2. A device for emptying and filling tanks such as tanks for the storageof hydrocarbons, comprising a delivery pipe and a pump and its motorsupported on said pipe in the tank, an automatic reversing device forthe liquid flow and comprising a chamber freely communicating with thedelivery pipe of the pump, a pipe line and another chamber freelycommunicating with the said pipe line, and between these two chambers avalve opening automatically toward the pipe line, a filling pipe and athird chamber freely communicating with the said. filling pipe, a wallseparating the chamber of the filling pipe from the chamber of the pipeline, and an automatic valve which opens into the chamber of thedelivery pipe and. is adapted to provide communication simultaneouslybetween the chamber of the pipe line, the chamber of the delivery pipeand the chamber or the filling pipe, a by-pass having an automaticsafety valve causing the chamber of the pipe line to communicate withthe filling pipe.

JACQUES LOUIS BERNARD BERGER.

